A Phoenix From The Ashes
by Majin Magus
Summary: This takes place between the final battle with Megabyte and Bob's return. Megabyte meets an unusual emissary from his past... (This fanfiction is officially DONE. Yay!!)
1. Chapter 1

A Phoenix From The Ashes

By Majin Magus

__

Chapter One

Matrix and AndrAIa walked through the deserted, rundown streets of Mainframe, each ready for the worst. Megabyte had been in the Principal Office for as long as they had been gone, and Bob had just left to go talk to Dot.

"What's that?" Matrix growled as a support beam from an old building fell down. "Gun, command line…full delete!" 

The gun leapt out of its holster and focused on a shadowy form inside one of the buildings. The gun clicked and fired. The shot disappeared into the shadows, then seconds later, the figure stepped from the building.

Matrix and AndrAIa gaped, but soon regained their composure and prepared for battle. "What the hell are you?" Matrix yelled at the figure that was still shrouded in shadow.

The figure stepped from the shadow. It was a female sprite. Matrix and AndrAIa blinked, and she was gone. Matrix turned to AndrAIa.

"Did you see a female sprite just now?" Matrix asked, putting his gun back. AndrAIa nodded.

"How did she survive a full delete blast? We better be careful about her, wherever she went to," AndrAIa said softly.

Then Matrix and AndrAIa set off to tell Dot of what they had seen.

*

Megabyte, who was deep inside the Principal Office, stared at Phong's head within the glass container. He grinned maliciously as the wise man screamed in pain. 

"Not too much longer now and I shall leave this accursed system to crumble," Megabyte murmured as another line of code was cracked. He had been here too long, and the system could crash at any moment. There had been no games for the longest time, not since the boy had been destroyed. There had been foolish attempts made to destroy him by Mouse and Dot and their little rebellion, but that was failing fast.

The evil virus shot a scowl at one of his soldiers. "Don't just stand there, go make sure those pathetic fools aren't attacking again!" he growled. The small one viral jumped and ran down the hall.

Megabyte suddenly made the claws on the back his hands come out. He glanced over his shoulder.

"Who are you?" He called confidently into the darkness of the hall.

A snicker was heard from the shadows. "Very good. Very, very good," a female voice said.

Megabyte turned. "Who are you?" he growled, his eyes glowing with increased anger. He crouched, preparing to jump and delete whoever this intruder was. Then the female stepped from the shadows.

The girl was a head shorter than Megabyte. She had black eyes like an abyss, and just as empty. Her ears were pointed and her hair was blonde and short. It hung to her shoulders but a few strands hung in front of her right eye. The girl wore a brown leather jacket unzipped right about at the bottom of her rib cage, revealing a black shirt underneath. Her skin was white.

What caught Megabyte's eyes was the Guardian-style icon on the left side of her jacket, right on her heart. A sword in a black sheath was strapped around her right shoulder and around to the left side of her waist, with meant that she was right-handed. The girl also wore jeans.

"I shall ask you one more time: Who are you? Even though you are a Guardian, what is your name? Tell me before I delete you!!" Megabyte's claws grew a little longer. The girl smirked.

"My name is Phoenix. I am Guardian 1695. You should know me, Megabyte…" Phoenix said, staring straight into his eyes.

Megabyte backed up a step. "I deleted you…you must be strong, strong indeed. You were the first Guardian to come to this system, even before that idiot Bob."

Phoenix grinned. "I didn't escape unscathed, you know," she said, grinning.

"Really? How very interesting," Megabyte commented, drawing his claws back into his hands. If he needed them, they could return at a moment's notice.  
"Yes. I shall show you." Phoenix lifted the left shelve of her jacket up to her elbow. There, on her forearm and in green, was Megabyte's insignia. Megabyte looked at the sign with interest, but he focused on Phoenix when her right hand when to the hilt of her sword. 

"I was the first to be infected with your viral energy, Megabyte. It was mine and your first fight, wasn't it? I didn't have my sword then, and you were more experienced than I." Phoenix's black eyes looked upon Megabyte and she smiled.

Megabyte waited for her move, to defend then slice her open. _'Her Guardian code should be tearing her apart with the impulse to delete me,'_ Megabyte thought, narrowing his eyes. _'So why hasn't she attacked?'_

"You know, it may just be the viral energies within me, but I think you should live," Phoenix sighed, letting go of her sword's hilt. Megabyte relaxed. Somehow he knew she was telling the truth.

"I suppose I'm kind of a half Guardian now. While I lay being gradually deleted, a Guardian came from the Super Computer and rescued me." Phoenix paused.

She continued. "The Guardian put me in a healing capsule that cannot be unlocked until the occupant is totally healed, so I was not infected by Daemon. This Guardian went and took my place in Mainframe. He is, of course…"

"Bob," Megabyte finished, scowling. "You mean, _was." _

Phoenix shook her head ruefully. "I am mostly viral now, but I do keep tabs on the Guardians so they don't come for me. Bob is alive. And he is in Mainframe. I saw him and an older pair of sprites."

Megabyte was puzzled. "Who is this Daemon?" he asked.

The girl looked at him. "She is a super virus that has infected all the Guardians except for Bob, myself, and Matrix. I know of Matrix because he is a Guardian. I saw him and a game sprite earlier today," Phoenix answered.

"Damn. Bad news," Megabyte cursed. "The boy, Bob, and the girl are back and still alive. Damn, and I also have something of a rival."

Megabyte turned to Phoenix. "Open a portal to the Super Computer for me so I can delete this Daemon!" he roared, unsheathing his claws.

Phoenix shook her head again. "Can't do that. I don't have a key-tool, I got here by following Bob in the web. I was never issued one, actually," she sighed. "I got this sword instead." 

"This is getting complicated, but very interesting…" Megabyte commented.


	2. Chapter 2

A Phoenix From The Ashes

By Majin Magus

Chapter Two

Matrix and AndrAIa explained to Bob and Dot what they had seen, and about how the girl had survived a full delete shot.

"Are you sure the girl didn't just dodge your blast?" Bob asked Matrix.

Matrix's eyes narrowed. "My gun doesn't miss. _Ever." _

Bob sighed. A small 1, who was working as a spy, came running up, his arm numb and bandaged. He looked frightened, but spoke just the same.

"Bob! We've got report Megabyte has…uh, teamed up with, um, a Guardian!! We need to find out more about the situation, but of this much we are sure," the 1 said, shaking and quivering. Matrix grabbed the 1.

"You're _positive _Megabyte has joined up with a _Guardian? _How do you know?" Matrix growled, holding the 1 with his left hand, pressing his gun to the little 1's head with his right hand.

The 1 gulped. "A few of our spies got too close to the Principal Office. The survivor, only one, said they saw a girl with a Guardian's icon on her clothes commanded the troops to attack,."

This 0, he narrowly escaped. Half his body was deleted, see. He ran for quite a while, he said, losing the virals but not the girl. He reported she jumped from building to building above him, and finally landed in front of him when he stopped to rest. She then took her sword and chopped off half his body, deleting only one half."

Bob, AndrAIa, and Dot listened intently and Matrix put the 1 down.

"Then, he said the girl said, 'Suffer now, die later.' Then this 0 said she disappeared," the 1 finished, out of breath. 

Dot thought for a moment. "But won't Megabyte eventually delete this girl, even if she doesn't slip up? And why would a Guardian team up with…"

"Shit. It's _her." _Bob cursed, shaking his head. 

Dot, Matrix, AndrAIa, and the 1 looked at him. "Who? You know her?" they all asked in unison.

A nervous expression appeared on Bob's face. "She was the first Guardian of Mainframe, and Megabyte's first infection was caused on her. At that time, she had no name. She was Guardian number 1695. I rescued her, and put her in a healing capsule before Megabyte's infection could fully spread," he explained.

"I then took on defending this system. 1695 must not have been infected by Daemon, or she would have come for me. But if she has teamed up with Megabyte…well, Megabyte won't delete such a valuable asset. If she put her mind to it, she could wipe out Matrix and I right now." Bob stopped and glanced at Matrix, whose face was twisted by a scowl.

AndrAIa spoke up. "So what does she want? Why is she helping Megabyte?" she asked of Bob.

"I don't know. She _can't _help a virus, it's against her code…but obviously she is. We'll have to wait and find out," Bob admitted, crossing his arms.

Matrix bared his teeth. "Screw waiting, I'm leading an attack on Megabyte's forces now so I can find out what this Guardian wants!!" And before anyone could stop him, Matrix jumped on a zip board and sped off. After a moment, AndrAIa followed on her own zip board.

*

"I saw you out there. With that idiotic rebel," Megabyte said as he stood before Phoenix.

Phoenix grinned. "I'm a bit out of practice, but I can still bring down a target when necessary. After all, it took all my skills to escape Daemon's lair." She grimaced and shut her eyes for a moment.

Megabyte needed to know more about this emissary. "Tell me, what forces does she have? What is her headquarters like?" he asked in a low voice. 

"It is five times the size of Mainframe. Every wire, every panel of wall is rigged with alarms. The Guardian minions she has infected patrol the halls until they are needed for a mission. These possessed sprites never touch the walls, unless they start to shoot things."

I was in a healing capsule in an untouched part of the Super Computer. That section is defended from viral attacks of any kind, even those of super viral nature. My sword was needed very often to escape…I destroyed maybe fifty Guardians, but there are thousands, even millions, possibly billions, under her control." Phoenix's face took on a distant look, like she was recalling her every move while in Daemon's lair.

"I finally reached the portal room. There, the Guardians took the portals to whatever system was needed. I thanked the net I wouldn't need a key-tool, and leapt inside a random portal. This system was protected by a code, but I got through. And here I am," Phoenix finished. 

Megabyte scowled. "Billions of warriors? Damn!" he roared, making the guards at the door jump. At that moment, a 1 viral came rushing in.

"The rebels are staging an attack, lord Megabyte!" the 1 cried, saluting his master.

Phoenix glanced at Megabyte. "I think we should teach these idiots a lesson." She grinned.

"I concur," Megabyte grinned maliciously and took off at run to the entrance, Phoenix following close behind. They passed by rooms full of virals, and after they ran by, the virals followed with their weapons. 

On the way, Megabyte thought to himself. _'I've always allowed my minions to take care of battles before, why I am fighting now?' _His gaze landed on Phoenix. _'This girl has had an odd effect on me. I must be very wary. She is a Guardian, if only in part. She might delete me at anytime, but I shall be ready.' _

And then they reached the battle.


	3. Chapter 3

A Phoenix From The Ashes

By Majin Magus

__

]

Chapter Three

The virals shot at the rebels and had taken care of most of them. Matrix, though, was blasting virals left and right. AndrAIa was speeding towards the fight, followed by Bob and Mouse.

A small 1 deleted a 0 and proudly turned around…

And crashed right into Megabyte.

"Megabyte!!" he cried, looking up at Megabyte. The girl the other virals had been talking about was here too, her right hand on the hilt of her sword.

Megabyte glanced at the viral. "Continue fighting, but we shall join you now," he ordered. Even though this was an odd order, the 1 nodded and rushed back to the battle. The rebels had just been joined by about fifty more fighters, and we pushing back the virals.

"Let's go," Phoenix said, her large sword in hand. With an evil grin directed at the rebels, she jumped forward into the battle. After a few nanos of watching Phoenix shove her sword into rebels and jerkily pull it out while they screamed in pain, Megabyte too leapt into the fray.

*

"God damn it, get that Window of the battle up NOW!" Dot barked, eager to watch the battle if she couldn't fight. She had to stay behind in they didn't make it back, but she still wanted to know firsthand if they won or lost. 

A window appeared. They battle in font of the Principal Office was portrayed in amazing detail, and Dot and the rest could see every inspiring or horrible detail.

Worried murmurs were exchanged as the 1s, 0s, and Dot watched the battle. When Bob and Mouse entered the battle, though, the virals were torn apart.

One of the 0s jumped. "What're those?" he asked, pointing at two blurs that were jumping around on the screen. One was a neon blue and the other a mix of yellow, brown, and a steely gray. Every time one of the blurs touched a rebel, the rebel was either painfully diced up or converted into a viral.

"Shit…they need help!!" Dot exclaimed, although she couldn't leave to assist them. She watched sadly as their forces were chopped down or turned into virals.

The 1 that was the technician cleared his throat. "I've been able to slow down previous data from the fight. Now we can see what these two dancing blurs are," he said, hitting a few keys. A second and third Window popped up.

In the Window to the left, a slowly moving girl was in mid-slash. Her sword was halfway through a 1, and he had shock look on his face. There was a malicious smile on her face as she cut him. After a few nanos of watching this painfully slow image, they saw the girl, whose eyes flashed from black to green for a moment, jump onto another 0 and stick her sword into him.

Dot shut her eyes and softly mouthed 'no.'

And in the other window, with a series of gasps, was Megabyte. He had an evil smile on his face as he slashed his extended yellow claws into a binome. This was a very unusual sight, because Megabyte never took part in many fights.

"I wonder why…BOB!!" Dot started, then screamed. Bob was featured in the fast moving fighting with the girl. He looked into the Window and then dodged a sword swipe from the Guardian.

*

Phoenix grinned again and stabbed her sword at Bob. The Guardian dodged, flying up on his zip board. Phoenix frowned, then threw out a zip board and followed him.

"Why are you helping Megabyte?" Bob yelled as he tried to steer Phoenix away from the battle. He narrowed his eyes and went faster. If she wasn't in the fight she couldn't delete as many binomes.

"Simple: the infection he gave me that day has distorted my programming, and now I don't have to follow my Guardian protocol. That, and I think Megabyte should live. That may be the viral part of me talking." Phoenix snickered. "And I go by 'Phoenix' now!! I escaped Daemon's lair, you know!"

Bob's eyes widened for a nano, but then he regained focus as Phoenix chopped at him with her giant sword. With a grin, Phoenix leapt off her zip and at Bob. He didn't move for shock and they were both knocked into empty air. They were both many feet above the ground.

The good Guardian turned around as he fell and looked at Phoenix. "You'll delete us both!!" he yelled, as the air whistled around them. Phoenix turned with her back to him and the ground and laughed.

"I don't think so, Guardian," she said, glancing to her right. Bob followed her eyes and saw two viral 1s flying towards then on zip board. One threw a zip board at Phoenix which she hopped onto, and the other shot Bob. He blacked out and remembered no more.


	4. Chapter 4

A Phoenix From The Ashes

By Majin Magus

Chapter Four

"…"

"So, what are we going to do with him?"

"I'm sure we'll think of something."

"Great idea, wasn't it?"

Bob's head was throbbing. When he opened his eyes, he couldn't see. He blinked a few times and two forms above him came into view. 

"Awake, huh? Have a nice nap?" a female voice asked mockingly. To his left was Phoenix, the girl who was responsible for this odd turn of events.

The good Guardian looked to his right and saw Megabyte grinning. There were some virals behind him trying to get a good look without being deleted. There were scorch marks on their bodies, but Bob was sure his friends had lost the fight.

Bob was chained down onto a metal slate with heavy bands around his wrist, ankles, and his waist. He could barely move. He just lay there as Phoenix and Megabyte smirked at him.

"What happened?" Bob asked aloud, not really meaning to say anything.

Megabyte looked gloatingly at him, and then spoke. "We defeated your pitiful band of rebels and they retreated. The cowards will soon know deletion, though." 

Phoenix gripped her sword's hilt with her right hand. "I think we should delete him now…or he will be rescued," she murmured. "If he is not dead soon, this plan will be foiled. Do it now, Megabyte, without hesitation."

For a second, Megabyte looked puzzled. "Aah…no gloating. Heh, I think just a little. A few nanos will good enough," he replied, crossing his hands. Phoenix took out her sword.

"No. _Now," _she growled. "Before I made my escape out of Daemon's lair, I checked the data on Mainframe. You could have defeated Bob and his allies had you not gloated…delete him now. The opportunity to capture him was very sudden and will not come again for some time." 

Megabyte made the claws on his knuckles appear and he smirked while drawing his fist back, preparing to strike. 

"Bob, NO!!" a voice shrieked.

Phoenix yelled in fury. "You idiot!! You should have deleted him!!"

Dot, Matrix, AndrAIa, and Mouse came on zip boards down the hall. Matrix was in front blasting any virals that got in their way.

Matrix stopped coming virals while Mouse and the others flew ahead and took out Megabyte. The virus was thrown through a wall and, while he was trying to come back and delete them, Dot freed Bob. Bob held Megabyte at bay with an energy shield. They all watched Matrix and Phoenix while still trying to contain Megabyte.

The half viral girl threw out a zip board and flew towards Matrix. Phoenix swung her sword at him and nearly chopping his head off. 

Matrix's eyes narrowed in fury and his mechanical eye locked onto Phoenix. "Die viral!" he shouted, firing a full delete shot at Phoenix. She didn't move and the shot sped towards through her.

"Think again, idiot," Phoenix uttered, and opened her left palm to the shot. The shot went into her hand and her left arm glowed for a second. Then it throbbed and the left shelve of the jacket exploded into pieces.

Phoenix dropped off the zip board and onto her knees. 

"What…what the hell?" she roared, her right hand grasping her left arm. The insignia on her left forearm glowed and throbbed, and her entire forearm turned purple.

Matrix and the other sprites left quickly. After a nano or two, Megabyte stumbled out of a hole in wall. He glared at Phoenix.

"Why didn't you stop them?" he growled, willing his claws to slide back into his hands. He then saw Phoenix clutching her forearm and her whole left arm flashing from her normal skin color to a metallic purple. Megabyte walked over to her.

"Interesting reaction. I would have thought the infection I gave you would've healed." He shrugged. "I guess…wait. This should be transforming you into a viral…this is deep blue like usual…this…"

Phoenix, her face twisted in agony, glanced up at him. "What? What's…argh…happening to me?!" she said slowly, stopping at intervals to clutch her arm harder.

Megabyte frowned. "That infection is transforming you into a _virus. _Not a _viral. _That's never happened before," he admitted, watching as Phoenix's torso, from neck to waist, was pulsating into metallic purple underneath her partially ripped shirt along with her arms. 

"So…I'm going to be a…rrr…a virus. Agh…what's that like?" Phoenix asked, grimacing with pain. Her skin remained metallic purple now, and her hair became metallic red and stuck out wildly. 

Megabyte didn't answer. He just stared as Phoenix's eye color turned from black to lime green. Sharp claws not unlike Megabyte's slid in and out of Phoenix's fingertips and knuckles. Her claws, though, were teal blue in color. Her ears were pointed now.

With an earsplitting roar of fury and pain, Phoenix leapt up. Her fists were clenched and teeth, now with wicked-looking fangs, were gnashing. Her new metallic purple skin ebbed from a darker shade to a lighter shade. The teal blue claws in her hands were extended fully. 

"DAMN IT!" Phoenix yelled, her mouth opened all the way to let a cry of anger out. She turned and sliced the slate Bob had been on in half. She sat down then, quietly staring at her extended claws. Although she looked tranquil, there was obviously a storm of rage going on within her.

Megabyte's mouth was partially open. He saw Phoenix examining her new body and abilities. Her sword had been thrown across the room, but she went and got it and strapped it back on her back. Megabyte then saw his insignia glowing with a green ebb on her left shoulder.

"How the hell could this happen?" Megabyte wondered aloud. Now that the girl was a virus, he couldn't trust her at all. He couldn't really trust her before, but now that she was a virus…

Phoenix grimaced. "I guess you should be happy…I still don't have to follow my programming. It's like an option. My programming tells me I should delete you right now, but I don't think that would be wise," she told the other virus.

"How can I trust you?" Megabyte asked, his eyes narrowing.

The virus girl barked out a laugh. "You trusted me before, right? You can't trust me now…wait, you shouldn't trust me, because I don't have to follow my programming," she replied. 

"Hello!" a voice cried. Megabyte and Phoenix spun around, both of their claws on their knuckles extended fully. The voice came from the hall that led to the entrance of the Principal Office.

Someone came gliding in. Surprisingly, it was Hexadecimal. She stopped in the doorway and her eyes locked on Phoenix.

"Who are you? There are three viruses in Mainframe now…hee hee hee, how lovely!" Hexadecimal cackled. Then, she stopped laughing as a bunch of tiny lightning bolts jumped from the spot on Phoenix's chest right on her heart.

Phoenix fell to the ground on her knees. Then she pulled something off her tattered black sleeveless shirt and threw it a few yards. Then it exploded. Hexadecimal and Megabyte both looked at her.

The girl shrugged. "I suppose my Guardian icon didn't take too well with my new format," she muttered nonchalantly. The place where the icon had exploded was emitting smoke, and sparks were flying around. 

"Explain who you are…now!!" Hexadecimal ordered. Phoenix looked at her, running her eyes up and down the virus's form. Phoenix knew where to strike Hexadecimal if the virus became a fatal threat. It would take less than a nano. 

"I am come from the super virus Daemon's Super Computer base. I was the first Guardian here, but Megabyte infected me. Bob brought me back to the Super Computer and I was healed. I was being healed when Daemon took over the Super Computer." Phoenix paused to take a few breaths.

"Before I escaped, I checked what had gone on in Mainframe. I read only had up to a certain part, because Mainframe was then sealed from observation. Then, I saw Bob in the web. I followed and entered Mainframe…as it turns out, my infection from Megabyte never fully healed. It somehow transformed me into a virus…and, well, here I am," Phoenix concluded, crossing her arms.

After a quick explanation of who Daemon was to Hexadecimal, she was caught up to speed. Mainly the virus just laughed at how chaotic things were getting. 

Phoenix looked around the room at the other two viruses and some virals. "So now what do we do? I think, because of this system's long history of clichés, Matrix and the others should be heading here for a final confrontation," she predicted.

"Everything around here is cliché, isn't it?" Hexadecimal sighed. "How boring. Maybe we shall win."

The new virus grinned. "You wouldn't have, but now I'm here. And with my enhanced abilities, the chances are raised. Hell, with some training or whatever, we could probably take down Daemon!" Phoenix paused. "But, problem is, I've never seen her."

Megabyte started at this. "You were in the deepest pair of her lair and was almost _deleted _escaping, and you never saw her!?" he exclaimed. 

Phoenix shook her head.

"So we have no idea what we're up against," Megabyte said.

Phoenix nodded.

"Wait…I didn't even say we were going to face her!!" Megabyte growled. "Damn you, Majin Magus!"


	5. Chapter 5

A Phoenix From The Ashes

By Majin Magus

Chapter Five

"Should we go now?"

"No, they'll be expecting us."

"How do we know they aren't expecting us?"

Bob sighed. Matrix's overanxious desire to take revenge on Megabyte was getting a little out of hand. Quickly selecting the reason that would make most sense, Bob spoke.

"We also have to take in account that girl, and someone saw Hexadecimal go into the Principle Office too," Bob explained, crushing Matrix's ambition, but not much.

Matrix crossed his arms. "Fine, but if Megabyte escapes, it'll be on _your _conscience."

*

"So we have fifty virals along this wall, with three in the tower and four on zip boards. There's just about the same on the opposite side, but more are in the air," Phoenix muttered, looking at a chart of viral positions.

"They'll attack from one single side, that's a basic pattern. But they might spilt up and attack from all sides. They'll come swift and hard." Phoenix turned to Megabyte and Hexadecimal.

Hexadecimal wasn't really paying attention, but that was fine because only Megabyte and Phoenix were planning for Bob and the others' attack. 

"We should tell the virals to be on the lookout. You know if I leave the Principal Office and go off, they'll come. So I'll go out a bit then flip around and help with the battle," Phoenix said with a 'matter-of-fact' air. Her hand gripped her sword like she was itching to go off and fight. Indeed, she might have been.

Phong, in the mean time, was watching everything from the little glass tube. Translating the portal code was forgotten for now, but as soon as this ordeal was done they'd be back to copying his memory.

Suddenly a there was a loud bang and the Principle Office shook. Distant sounds of screams and battle cries echoed down the hall. Phoenix's sword was out in a second and she bounded down the hall.

Megabyte looked at Hexadecimal. "I don't suppose you're going to help?" he asked sarcastically.

"I didn't say I was on your side, brother. I just came here looking for something out of the ordinary, and that girl is unusual enough," Hexadecimal replied, grinning and laughing wildly.

"Do what you want to!" Megabyte snapped, unsheathed his blades and ran to the entrance.

*

As is a tradition in this series, there was a battle raging outside. Only difference is, this is the _final confrontation. _How different from the actual final battle will this be? Let's see…

*

Phoenix chopped every rebel 1 or 0 she saw. Her sword, which she cut through enemies with painfully slow, seemed to get sharper with every hit. She was maneuvering on a zip board, apparently trying to get to Bob or Matrix.

No rebel was spared they were all there. All the virals in Megabyte's fleet fought all the rebels. The sprites mowed through the virals, but were halted by Phoenix who blocked the doorway.

"Anyone who wants to get in has to get past me," she stated, grasping her sword. Bob flew forward.

"If you help us, we can get you healed, and you can help to defeat Daemon. Then you can be a Guardian again," Bob said to Phoenix.

"No! Don't you see I'm the same no matter what form I have! Take this!!" Phoenix cried a roar of fury and stabbed at Bob. The blade skimmed his waist, and he fell a little.

Bob motioned for the rest to go on, and turned to Phoenix. He shot a bolt of energy at her, but she dodged and landed nimbly on the ground. Phoenix leapt forward, and as she flew at Bob, she moved slightly to the right, and….and…

Megabyte was directly behind Phoenix. Bob dodged as Phoenix sliced with her sword and when Megabyte slashed with his blades. When Bob tried a counterattack, Megabyte and Phoenix just jumped to the side.

"Damn it, I can't get a hit in!" Bob cried, avoiding another attack. His companions were doing a little better yet seemed to be fighting an endless stream of virals. 

Bob threw an energy blade at Phoenix and it sliced a hole in her left shoulder. Black blood cascaded out of the wound as she raced towards Bob. Reaching him, Phoenix punched him in the face. 

Megabyte then lunged forward and dug his blades in Bob's right thigh. The Guardian moaned and fell onto his left knee. He put up a small force field around him that would hold for a little while, but not long. Phoenix and Megabyte thrashed at the shield as Bob rested and watched his companions, unable to do anything.

Phoenix and Megabyte were just about to launch another attack on Bob's shield, when they stopped in mid attack and looked stunned. At that moment, Hexadecimal stumbled out of the Principal Office looking shocked. Matrix and the rest had stopped attacking, but they didn't see what was happening.

"Aaah…what power!" Phoenix moaned. Only sounds of astonishment escaped her open mouth, as she stared at the sky. Megabyte's eyes were narrowed and he too gazed into the sky. 

Bob felt something inside of him and he looked up too, along with Matrix. All the others, virals and rebels alike, wondered what was going on that only the Guardians and Viruses could feel.

Phoenix sheathed her sword and clenched her fists. "I know that energy…that dismal, infinite energy…" she muttered.

Megabyte realized what she was talking about. "Daemon?" he asked.

"Yes," Phoenix answered with a dark look on her face. Bob stepped over to her. 

"Why would Daemon come here, and how? Mouse programmed…" he started.

"I suppose I left the barrier open when I followed you here. Daemon must know of you and I. We, Matrix and Megabyte too, pose a great threat to this super virus, so she must be to eradicate us," Phoenix replied, looking at a forming portal in the sky. The portal floated before them all.

Come to my lair and we can settle this little issue once and for all.

A disembodied voice came from the portal, and Phoenix closed her eyes.

The two Guardians and the Viruses Phoenix and Megabyte only. All others will perish upon entry to my realm, I'll make sure of that. the voice added.

"Well, we're screwed if we do and screwed if we don't, so let's go," Phoenix sighed, stepping into the portal. 

"What should we do during your absence, Lord Megabyte?" a viral shouted.

Megabyte turned. "Nothing. Ignore all rebels, as they probably won't attack while their Guardians are gone. I can't care for this dead system anymore, I have a big score to settle with Daemon," he commanded.

"Odd you haven't even met Daemon yet, Megabyte," Bob said, and stepped into the portal. Matrix followed him. All the rebels and virals were silent as the portal disappeared along with their leaders and heroes.

"Good luck, Matrix and Bob," AndrAIa murmured softly.


	6. The FINAL Chapter

A Phoenix From The Ashes

By Majin Magus

Chapter Six

Bob, Matrix, Megabyte, and Phoenix arrived at Daemon's lair expecting a battle. Instead, there was no one around. Not one sound echoed through glowing halls of blue and black. 

The room the guardians and viruses had just appeared was circular, and had wires hanging from the ceiling. A keyboard hung suspended in thin air by a panel that might be the door. The walls, floors, and ceiling all were a dull blue, then turned black. After a bit, the black became dull blue again.

"What in the net…?" Matrix muttered, looking around the room, his gun in his hand. His eye focused on a few things, then he blasted the ceiling. A hole exploded open and he jumped to the next floor. 

Bob looked at the hole. "What's up there?" he called. After a second, Bob jumped up too. Megabyte followed and so did Phoenix.

As soon as the two viruses were up with him, Bob turned to Megabyte. "Are you going to try to delete me while we're here? Don't try; I'm faster than you. Plus, that wouldn't add to your chances of defeating Daemon," he asked pointedly. 

"I won't settle with you until I've settled with Daemon," Megabyte replied, walking out of the room and into the hallway. 

Phoenix glanced at Bob and smirked. "You're faster? That would explain how we got in so _few _hits in that fight," she mocked. 

Bob was just about to protest to this when there was an explosion heard just outside the room. Matrix, Bob, and Phoenix raced out into the ebbing corridor to see an infected Guardian glaring Megabyte, his gun raised.

The Guardian was an olive green color. He was about Five feet Eight, and had a similar outfit to what Bob was wearing before he and Glitch combined. The whites of his eyes ebbed green.

"You who have entered great Daemon's lair…die," the Guardian muttered, pulling the trigger. Everything seemed to slow down as the blast from the gun sped at Megabyte. The Guardian grinned.

There was a bright flash and Bob, Matrix, and the Guardian opened their eyes. There, right in front of Megabyte, was Phoenix. She had her left palm open. 

"How…?" the startled Guardian cried, staring at Phoenix. Her arm seized up, surging with the new energy. She made her hand into a fist, controlling the power from the blast.

Without another word, and because she was much faster than Bob and Matrix, Phoenix leapt at the dismayed Guardian. Her teal blue claws on her knuckles flashed out as she neared the Guardian. With a slash, the possessed Guardian was dead, a severe cut across the front of his neck.

Silently, very silently, the four continued down the hall. The immense power that was Daemon's grew more visible as they walked, so it was evident they were going the right way.

As they walked, Phoenix felt a bump on the back of her head. Before the virus could turn and fight, she was unconscious. 

*

When Phoenix finally came to, it wasn't on the cold hard floors of the infected Super Computer, it was on the cold hard floors of the wrecked Principal Office.

Sitting up bolt straight, Phoenix stared around. If she was here, then the fight must be over. As she stood up, she heard a voice behind her.

"Everything is back to the way it was except for one thing." She knew it was Megabyte's voice.

Phoenix had her back to him. "Oh? And what's still different?"

Megabyte's claws came out and he quickly slashed Phoenix in the back, a killing blow. As she fell and her body faded away into deletion, Megabyte sneered.

"You were the different thing."

# I had a plan to make it longer, but I know everyone's tired of this fic. I'm tired of seeing it not done so I put together this ending. When we see what Daemon looks like this fall, you can add in the missing part in this chapter yourself. Now go read some by Al'sWaiter. Get off my crappy fics here. 


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